Rotary dry-distilling apparatus



F. G. TEN BROECK AND M. T. WESTON.

ROTARY DRY DISTILLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-6. I918.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FLOYD G. TEN BROECK, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, AND MILTON T. WESTON, OF KEANSIBURG, NEWJERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO WEST VIRGINIA PULP & PAPER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

ROTARY DRY-DISTILLING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FLOYD G. TEN BRoEoK, of the borough of Brookl 11, county of Kings, city and State of New Tork, and MILTON T. WESTON, of Keansburg, county of Monmouth, State of New Jersey, citizens of the United States, have made a certain new and useful Invention Relating to Ho tary Dry-Distilling Apparatus, of. which the following is a specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which forms part of the same.

This invention relates especially to feed and discharge devices for rotary retorts or chambers used for the dry distillation of organic substances or other purposes. The retort may be provided with a feed head having loosely connected therewith a preferably stationary feed member in which may be located a feed screw to supply to the retort the granular or other raw material in desired quantities from a communicating feed hopper. This feed member may also comprise a vapor passage preferably above or around the feed passage through which vapor-may be discharged from the retort into a vapor pipe which is preferably loosely connected with the vapor passage through a liquid seal. Since these rotary retorts are in some cases of large size and over one hundred feet long the annular joint is preferably of such character as to allow considerable radial movement while still maintaining a vapor tight joint, and the longitudinal expansion of the shell and parts is preferably taken care of'by yieldingly supporting the weight of the feed member while allowing some longitudinal movement with respect to the retort shell. Automatic feed controlling devices are also preferably used to prevent the feed passage being emptied by the screw in case the material fails to feed freely from the hopperwhich might otherwise admit undesirable quantities of air to the retort. The lower or discharge end of the retort may be provided with a discharge head and loosely connected discharge member which may be provided with a steam feeding chamber and passages and also with a discharge passage for the retorted material which may be collected in discharge buckets delivering into this passage. It is desirable to have a discharge valve controlling this discharge passage orthe chute with which Specification of Iietters Patent. Patented Aug. 24:, 1920. Application filed August 6, 1918.

Serial No. 248,619.

it communicates so as to normally maintain a considerable amount of this material in of the joint or packing devices of the discharge member.

The retort shell 1 may be of any suitable material and construction and may as indicated be of sheet metal of generally cylindrical shape and mounted to rotate in connection with any suitable supporting and driving rolls or devices and also heated in any well known or desired way so as to preferably uniformly heat the shell and material fed therethrough by its rotation. In order to feed the material into the retort a feed head 80 may be riveted or otherwise secured to the feeding end of the retort and a feed member may be revolubly mounted in this head by any suitable form of labyrinth or other packing 18 which preferably allows some little radial movement of the parts as their relative rotation takes place. This feed member of cast iron or other suitable material may comprise a feed passage 29 along which the granular or other material may be fed into the retort or rotating chamber for distillation or other treatment, as by the feed screws 16, a suitable hood 17 being preferably secured adjacent the discharge end of this feed passage so as to minimize dusting in case the material is finely divided. A vapbr passage 30 may also be provided in this feed member through which the vapor or other gaseous material may be withdrawn from the retort or shell as through the vapor pipe 21 which preferably has a somewhat loose though vapor tight connection with the feed member. This may be conveniently arranged by having an annular or other sealing cup 19 arranged between these parts in which an oil or other liquid seal 20 is protight under operating conditions. In order to prevent the weight of the feed member acting undesirably on its joint with the feed head it is desirable to more or less support the weight of this feed member preferably in such way that its slight radial or longitudinal movement under operating conditions can take place without interference.

For this purpose several supporting rods,

such as 23 are pivotally or otherwise connected to suitable lugs or supporting members 22 in the sides of the feed member. The lower ends of each of these supporting rods may be pivotally connected to a supporting lever, such as 2a, which may be pivoted to a bracket 28 mounted on a suitable support, the'outer end of this lever having a counterbalance weight 25 which may be adjusted thereon, if desired, to give the amount of supporting action to the feed member which seems desirable under the particular conditions of material feed, etc., being used. It is also desirable to hold the feed member against substantial rotation with the retort or shell and this may be conveniently efiected by forming one or more depending holding lugs, such as 26, on the feed member with which a holding or alining frame may cooperate as is indicated in Fig. 3. By having this frame 27 of substantially rigid or braced A frame character and pivoting it to the bracket 28 the pin or connector 81 which may be rigidly secured to the frame may extend loosely through the vertical slot 56 in this holding lug so as to hold the lug and connected feed member in alinement and prevent any substantial rotation thereof with the retort or shell while at the same time allowing a considerable range of radial and longitudinal movement without cramping or distortion of the parts.

I The raw material fed into the retort or shell may be delivered from the feed hopper 2through the depending hopper neck 5 which may fit within the collar 3 communicating with the feed passage. It is desirable to have a suitable control device for this material feed and this may be efiected by providing a feed gate 4 in this vertical part of the feed passage as by pivotingit therein on the end of the feed lever 6. A suitable counterweight 7 on the end of this feed lever tends to swing the gate upward into more nearly closed position whenever the material has been substantially exhausted in the hopper or discharge neck thereof so that there is no longer an ample supply of material passin the gate or exerting its weight thereon. highly desirable to stop the operation of the feed screw so as to prevent this feed passage becoming substantially empty which with dry distillation apparatus might be undesirable by permitting ingress of air or escape of the volatile or vaporized material. For

U nder these conditions it is this purpose the feed lever 01'' gate may be connected in any suitable way with the operating devices for the feed screw so as to stop or retard its operation when the feed gate rises to an undesirable extent. As indicated the feed screw may be driven through the sprocket or other drive 15 by the electric motor 14, for instance, and the switch or starter 12 for this motor controlling its windings, such as 13, may be so arranged as to be engaged and operated by the feed member 9 connected to the feed lever as by the flexible cord or rod 8 on the upper end of which a light spring'lO may be arranged. Under these conditions the closing of the feed gate swings the connected feed lever downward and thus draws downward the feed member so as to retard or stop the operation of the feed screw. After the stoppage or exhaustion of'the material in the hopper has been taken care of the operator may of course throw the feed motor switch 11 back into its operating position, or if desired, this can of course be automatically effected in some cases by the use of a suitable spring restorin the switch to the position indicated.

The discharge devices for handling the material that has been retorted or otherwise treated in the retort or treating shell may comprise a discharge head-60 secured to the shell 1 in any suitable way and a discharge member 42 loosely connected with this discharge head as by the special labyrinth or other packing indicated more in detail in Fig. 4. The discharge head 60 of cast iron or other material may be formed with the packing flange 61 and the discharge member i2 may have a cooperating flange spaced apart sufficiently to accommodate a number of loosely fitting packing rings. One or more pairs of stepped rings, such as 66, 67, 70, 71, may be keyed or otherwise secured against rotation to these two flanges as by the keys 73, 74, 7 5 and 76, and while these rings have their lateral faces in contact there is preferably ample space for a considerable radial movement between them so as to allow a half inch or an inch movement in the case of a lar e retort shell of this general character. is also desirable to have one or more free packing rings arranged in connection with the attached rings of stepped or other construction and two such free middle rings 68, 69 are shown which help to keep this joint gas and steam tight in connection with the suitable lubricant which may be supplied thereto by the grease cup 54. It is, of course, understood that these packing rings are held in place and tightened from time to time as necessary by the clamping rings 62 and bolts 63 and by the inner clamping rings 64 and bolts 65 indicated. It is desirable to more or less support the weight of this discharge member and this may be conveniently done by the use of suswith the retort or shell. 7

In dry or destructive distillation, it is often desirable to use steam and this ma be efiectively supplied to the retort throug the discharge member indicated which may, if desired, be formed with a steam chamber 47. Steam may be supplied to this chamber through the supply pipe 48 indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 and may be discharged into the retort or treating chamber through suit able discharge holes 46 in one or more plates or discharge members 45, for instance. It is also desirable to have steam discharged around the annular joint between the head and discharge member so as to prevent any possibility of the entrance of particles of the retorted material into this joint and for this purpose an annular steam discharge passage 44 which may be made quite narrow may be formed between these two parts and supplied with steam as by the discharge apertures or holes 43 leading into the steam chamber 47. This also has the advantage that a space may be formed between. the inner face of the discharge member 42 and the flange 72, for instance, so that the packing members may thus be protected against undesirable heating from the high temperature material within this end of the retort which is often six or seven hundred degrees Fahrenheit or more. If desired also a direct steam or other injection pipe, such as 49, may extend into and through this discharge head so as to directly discharge a larger steam or other et along the retort to penetrate it to a greater distance.

The discharge head may as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 be formed with a discharge passage having a flaring discharge throat or hopper 33 at its upper end preferably provided with the side plates 34: at sufficient distances apart to catch substantially all of the material dropping from the series of discharge buckets 31 which may be formed in the discharge ring 32 integral with or secured to the discharge head and shell. In this way the retorted or treated material passing down the shell falls into these buckets and is carried up by them as indicated in Fig. 2 so as to be dropped into the hopper and thus pass down the discharge passage 35 which may extend diagonally through the discharge member and be provided with a substantially vertical extension or discharge chute 36. It is often desirable to have this material form a seal for this end of the reforms,

tort or shell and a counterweighted discharge valve of suitable constructionmay be arranged to normally hold a considerable amount of the material in this substantial vertical discharge chute or passage. The valve 37 may have its edges or top plate 77 extend outward to some extent beyond the inner portion of the end 55 of the discharge ably reduced area to prevent sticking or packing of the material, if desired. This discharge valve may be mounted on the valve arms 39 pivoted at their upper ends to the links 88 secured to the rock shaft 89 to which the valve lever 41 is also rigidly secured. A similar pair of links 38 may be pivotally connected to the valve arms and discharge chute so that through these the valve 77 has a parallel motion away from .the'end of the discharge chute to such extent as is determined by the weight of material within the chute and the adjustable control or counterweight 40 on the end of thevalve lever. In this way a consider able amount of material is automatically held in the discharge chute so as to'prevent undesirable ingress of air therethrough or discharge of vapor therefrom. Also by having the edges of the valve project out beyond the discharge chute the material is discharged more uniformly around the edges of the valve as determined by the angle of. repose of the material so that local discharge or channeling of the material in the chute is minimized.

This invention has been described in connection with a number of illustrative parts,

proportions, materials, arrangements, and methods of operation and use, to the details of which disclosure the invention is not, of course, to be limited, since what is claimed as new and what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

1. In rotary dry distilling apparatus, a retort shell, a feed head secured thereto, a feed member revolubly mounted in said feed head and formed with a vapor passage and a feed passage, a vapor pipe communicating with said vapor passage and having a liquid seal in connection therewith, a substantially horizontal feed screw in said feed passage, a depending hood in said shell. and connected with said feed passage, a substantially vertically arranged collar communicating with said feed passage, a feed hopper and a connected depending neck located within said collar, a feed gate in said collar adjacent said neck, a feed lever connected to said feed gate, a feed motor and driving connections therefor to operate said feedscrew, a switch for said feed motor and a feed member connected to said feed lever to retard and stop the operation of said feed parallel links chute which may of course be formed of suit- ,retort shell, a feed head secured thereto, a

feed member revolubly mounted in said feed head and formed with a vapor passage and a feed passage, a feed screw in said feed passage, a collar communicating with said feed passage, a feed hopper and a connected depending neck located within said collar, a feed gate in said collar adjacent said neck, a feed lever connected to said feed gate, a feed motor and driving connections therefor to operate said feed screw, a switch for said feed motor and a feed member connected to said feed lever to retard and stop the operation of said feed screw as said feed gate rises when less material is discharged from said hopper.

3. In rotary dry distilling apparatus, a retort shell, a feed head secured thereto and having a feed passage, a feed screw in said feed passage, said feed passage having an inlet portion, a feed hopper and a connected depending. neck located within said inlet portion, a feed gate in said inlet portion adjacent said neck, a feed lever connected to said feed gate, a feed motor and driving connections therefor to operate said feed screw, a switch for said feed motor and a feed member connected to said feed lever to retard and stop the operation of said feed screw as said feed gate rises when less material is discharged from said hopper.

4! In rotary dry distilling apparatus, a re tort shell, a feed head secured thereto and having a feed passage, 9. feed screw in said feed passage, said feed passage having an inlet portion, 'a feed gate in said inlet portion, a feed lever connected to said feed gate, a feed motor and driving connections therefor to operate said feed screw, and control means for said feed motor connected to said feed lever to retard the operation of said feed screw as said feed gate rises when less material is charged from said hopper.

5. In rotary dry distilling apparatus, a retort shell, a feed head secured thereto and having a feed passage, a feed screw in said feed passage, said feed passage having an inlet portion, a feed member in said inlet portion, driving connections to operate said feed screw, and control means connected to said feed member to retard the operation of said feed screw as said feed member rises when less material is discharged from said hopper.

, 6. In treating apparatus, a shell, a feed head secured thereto and having a feed passage, a feed device in said feed passage, said feed passage having an inlet portion, a feed member in said inlet portion, driving connections to operate said feed device, and control means connected to said feed member to retard the operation of said feed de vice as said feed member rises when less material is discharged from said hopper.

T. In rotary dry distilling apparatus, a retort shell, a feed head secured thereto, .a feed member revolubly mounted in said feed head and formed with a vapor passage and a feed passage, a vapor pipe communicating with said vapor passage and having a loose sealed connection therewith, a feed screw in said feed passage, a substantially vertically arranged collar communicating with said feed passage, a feed hopper and a connected depending neck loosely arranged in connection with said collar.

8. In rotary dry distilling apparatus, a

retort shell, a feed. head secured thereto, a

feed member revolubly mounted in said feed head and formed with a vapor passage and a feed passage, supporting rods connected to said feed member, supporting levers pivotally connected to said supporting rods and having counterweights and a holding frame loosely connected to said feed member to prevent its rotation, a feed screw in said feed passage, a substantially vertically arranged collar communicating with said feed passage, a feed hopper and a connected depending neck loosely arranged in connection with said collar.

9. In rotary dry distilling apparatus, a retort shell, a head secured thereto, a feed member revolubly mounted in said feed head and formed with separate passages for vapor and material, supporting rods connected to said member, supporting levers pivotally connected to said supporting rods and having counterweights and a holding frame loosely connected to said member to prevent its rotation.

10. In rotary dry distilling apparatus, a retort shell, a head secured thereto, a feed member revolubly mounted in said feed head and formed with separate passages for vapor and material, counterweighted supporting means connected to said member, and a holding device loosely connected to said member to prevent its rotation.

11. In rotary dry distilling apparatus, a retort shell, a discharge head connected to said shell, a discharge member revolubly connected to said discharge head, a labyrinth packing between said discharge head and member, a steam chamber formed in said discharge member, and located within said packing, a communicating steam space between said packing and the end of said retort, suspending hook members having ends engaging horizontally separated sockets in said discharge member to substantially support the weight thereof, a discharge passage extending diagonally through said discharge member and steam chamber and a. communicating discharge throat connected to the upper end of said discharge passage, discharge buckets cooperating with said discharge throat, a weighted automatic discharge valve controlling the vertical lower end of said discharge passage.

12. In rotary dry distilling apparatus, a retort shell, a discharge head connected to said shell, a discharge member revolubly connected to said discharge, head, suspending hook members having ends engaging horizontally separated sockets in said discharge member to substantially support the weight thereof, a discharge passage extending through said discharge member and a communicating discharge throat-connected to the upper end of said discharge. passage, discharge buckets cooperating with said discharge throat, a weighted automatic discharge valve controlling the vertical lower end of said discharge passage and comprising a valve having greater area than the end of the passage.

13. In rotary dry distilling apparatus, a retort shell, a discharge head connected to said shell,a discharge member revolubly connected to said discharge head, a discharge passage extending diagonally through said discharge member and a communicating discharge throat connected to the upper end of said discharge passage, a discharge ring secured to said discharge head and shell and having buckets coiiperating with said discharge throat,'a weighted automatic discharge valve controlling the substantially vertical lower end of said discharge passage and comprising a valve having greater area than the end of the passage, a plurality of valve arms secured to said valve and mounted on pairs of substantially parallel links and a control weight and valve lever connected to said links and normally raising said valve against the material in said discharge passage to maintain a seal of material therein. 7

14. In rotary dry distilling apparatus, a retort shell, a discharge head connected to said shell, a discharge member revolubly connected to said discharge head, a discharge passage extending through said discharge member and a communicating discharge throat connected to the upper end of said discharge passage, a discharge ring secured to said discharge head and shell and having buckets cooperating with said discharge throat, a weighted automatic discharge valve controlling the lower end of said discharge passage and comprising a valve" having greater area than the end of the passage, a valve arm secured to said valve and mounted on substantially parallel links and a control weight and valve lever connected to said links and normally raising said valve against the material in said discharge passage to maintain a seal of material therein.

15. In rotary dry distilling apparatus, a retort shell, a discharge head connected to said shell, a discharge member revolubly connected to said discharge head, a discharge passage extending through said discharge member and a communicating dis charge throat connected to the upper end 01'' said discharge passage, discharge buckets cooperating with said discharge throat, a weighted automatic discharge valve controlling the lower end of said discharge passage and comprising a valve, a valve arm secured to said valve and mounted. on substantially parallel links and a control weight and valve lever connected to said links and normally raising said valve against the material in said discharge passage to maintain a seal of material therein.

16. In rotary heating apparatus, a shell, a discharge head connected to said shell, a discharge member revolubly connected to said discharge head and a yieldable packing between said discharge head and member, a steam chamber'formed in said discharge member and located within said packing, a communicating steam space between said packing and the end of said shell, a dischargepassage extending through said discharge member, a discharge bucket 006perating with said discharge passage and an automatic discharge valve controlling said discharge passage.

17 In rotary heating apparatus, a shell, a discharge head connected to said shell, a discharge member revolubly connected to said discharge head and a yieldable packing between said discharge head and member, a steam chamber formed in said discharge member, a communicating annular steam discharge passage between said discharge member and discharge head inside of said shell, a discharge passage extending through said discharge member, a discharge bucket cooperating with said discharge passage and an automatic discharge valve controlling said discharge passage.

18. In rotary dry distilling apparatus, a retort shell, a discharge head connected to said shell, a discharge member revolubly connected to said discharge head and a labyrinth packing between said discharge head and member comprising a plurality of interlocking stepped packing rings adjacent the ends of said packing and secured to said discharge head and discharge member respectively to rotate therewith and a plurality of free middle rings in said packing between said stepped rings, said rings having considerable radial clearance to permit radial movement of said discharge head with respect to said discharge member, a grease cup to supply lubricant to said packing rings, a steam chamber formed in said discharge member, a communicating steam space between said packing and the end of said retort to prevent overheating of said packing and a suspending member engaging said discharge member to substantially support the Weight thereof.

19. In rotary dry distilling apparatus, a retort shell, a discharge head connected to said shell, a discharge member revolubl y connected to said discharge head and a packing between said discharge head and member comprising a plurality of packing rings adjacent the ends of said packing and secured to said discharge head and discharge member respectively to rotate therewith, said rings having considerable radial clearance to permit radial movement of said discharge head with respect to said discharge member, a steam chamber formed in said discharge member, a communicating steam space between said packing and the end. of said retort to prevent overheating of said packing and a suspending member engaging said discharge member.

F. G. TEN BROEOK. MILTON T. WESTON. 

